I THINK I LOVE YOU by Allison Pearson

Winner Announced:

Congratulations!

Donna W

... who happens to have a crush on Jeff Probst from Survivor (and no, you're not the only one - one or two other ladies mentioned him!). But the ones who cracked me up the most were from the one girl who would crawl through crushed glass for George Clooney, and another girl who crushes on Conan -- REALLY? hahaah! Loved everyone's answers for this one!
Donna, please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com with your full name and address so I can send you your book! Congrats again!

Book: I Think I Love You

Author: Allison Pearson

Show me a girl out there who never had a crush on a musician when she were younger and I’ll show you a big fat liar!

Did I get your attention?

Whether you had a thing for Kurt Cobain, INXS’s Michael Hutchence (why am I picking dead guys?), Justin Timberlake, Simon Lebon, Billy Idol, George Michael, Shaun Cassidy, Leif Garrett, or Donny Osmond, I bet there’s a musician that brings back childhood memories of you screaming in your bedroom while listening to either your:

A) Eight-track
B) Record album
C) Cassette tape on your boom box or in your Sony Yellow Walkman
D) CD
E) MP3 Player
F) iTunes on your laptop

(if you’re young enough to answer E) or F), tell your mom to enter this contest, not you, and go immediately to Wikipedia to find out who THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY and DAVID CASSIDY are. Also, look up Danny Bonaduce, while you’re there. And yes, one Spring Break, my college roommates and I harassed Danny on the beach, but that was WAAAAY before youtube or digital cameras so we have no proof, just the story.)

There was a time when you probably sat on your canopied pink and white bed tearing out pages from your Teen Beat magazine (back to Wiki if you don’t know what Teen Beat is) while listening to your music, and pasting the 8 x 11 posters all over your bedroom while your parental units yelled at you not to get Scotch tape marks all over the walls.

If any of this rings true in your life, you’re going to LOOOOVE today’s book, I THINK I LOVE YOU, by best-selling author, Allison Pearson.

It follows the story of two 13-year-old girls, Petra and Sharon, who are madly obsessed with David Cassidy - singer, teen heartthrob, and star of The Partridge Family. The girls enter a contest with plans to win and meet their crush in person.

Years later, nearing 40, Petra, now with her own teenage daughter, discovers a letter in her mother’s closet – a letter that awarded she and Sharon the winners of that contest long ago.

And guess what? They are not going to let that prize get away, not even 25 years later!

This is a terrific book for anyone who’s ever had a celeb crush, or a best gal-pal you’ve dreamt with about your future. I THINK I LOVE YOU covers all the topics to make a fabulous book – friendship, love, celebrity, that glimmer of youth we all wish we still had. You won’t want to miss out on it!

Here’s an adorable video showcasing Allison Pearson and the editors sharing who their teen crushes were.

To win I THINK I LOVE YOU, leave a comment here on your CURRENT celebrity crush! I’m telling you a few of mine I wouldn’t kick outta bed:

Vince Vaughn, Josh Duhamel, Dane Cook, Ben Affleck, Bradley Cooper, and okay … Zac Efron! (I know, I know! But he's sooo cute in all the High School Musical movies!)

*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win I THINK I LOVE YOU! I’ll draw the winner in a couple of days and I will post the winner’s name at the TOP of this post, in the highlighted area.


Come back and read about each book every day in March. Choose the books you'd like to win. Enter for any or ALL the books. Each entry will count as an entry toward the grand prize of winning ALL 31+ books at the end of the month. You can win the book of the day and still qualify to win ALL the books at the end of the month!


PLEASE be specific with your name in the comment section, and IF YOUR NAME is listed as the winner, you must email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com in order to claim your prize. Email me with your full name and address so I can have your book(s) sent to you.


Thanks, and GOOD LUCK! And come back tomorrow to see what book I’ll be giving away then too!


It’s MaNiC MoMMy’s March Madness Book-A-Day Giveaway! Read ALL the Rules and Details Here!


Sorry, only U.S. and Canadian residents only!

A PLACE OF YES by Bethenny Frankel

Winner Announced!
Congratulations to:

Dawn from CA!

You have won A Place of Yes!

Please email me your full name and address and I'll get your book to you! Congrats! And I think I can write a whole post on all of the comments here on these responses to the question on what is an easy change to make us all happy. I know after I wrote this, I went and walked two days in a row (whoopy!) and I felt sooo much better about myself. There are so many easy fixes in our lives, and what is stopping us!? I'd love to have a discussion on here about why we always put ourselves last!

Book: A Place of Yes 10 Rules for Getting Everything You Want Out of Life

Author: Bethenny Frankel

Website: http://www.bethenny.com/


I have only watched a handful of the Real Housewives shows and don’t know much about Bethenny Frankel, but I know many of you are going to love this book! Especially if you want to know the rules for getting everything you want out of life.

Here’s a video of Bethenny on Good Morning America

And here are Bethenny’s Top Rules:

Break the Chain
Find Your Truth
Act on It
Everything’s Your Business
All Roads Lead to Rome
Go for Yours
Separate from the Pack
Own It
Come Together
Celebrate

Bethenny has certainly come to A Place of Yes and owns her own happiness! To qualify for this book, leave a comment on what you’re not currently doing in your life that you know is an easy change that would make you happier? I’m giving you TWO things for me: I need to go back to yoga, and finish writing my novel! Your turn please! : )

*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win A Place of Yes! I’ll draw the winner in a couple of days and I will post the winner’s name at the TOP of this post, in the highlighted area.


Come back and read about each book every day in March. Choose the books you'd like to win. Enter for any or ALL the books. Each entry will count as an entry toward the grand prize of winning ALL 31+ books at the end of the month. You can win the book of the day and still qualify to win ALL the books at the end of the month!


PLEASE be specific with your name in the comment section, and IF YOUR NAME is listed as the winner, you must email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com in order to claim your prize. Email me with your full name and address so I can have your book(s) sent to you.


Thanks, and GOOD LUCK! And come back tomorrow to see what book I’ll be giving away then too!


It’s MaNiC MoMMy’s March Madness Book-A-Day Giveaway! Read ALL the Rules and Details Here!


Sorry, only U.S. and Canadian residents only!

A TEENY BREAK

Hey Everyone! I still have three more books to offer up in the March Madness Book-A-Day Giveaway that will take us into next week but I really need a weekend off so I'm not posting on Saturday and Sunday.

Come back on Monday and I'll have a few more books for you ... including one for those Real Housewives fans and another for you Partridge Family David Cassidy lovers!

And I will also be picking the last winners for the previous books featured. I'm really sorry I've been slow on that--we've had company and it's been a busy week. And for those of you who weren't sure where the winners are being announced -- they are listed on TOP of the blog posts -- so go back to the posts and you'll see the names there. The last week or so of books have not been announced so if there is NOT a name posted, that means you can still enter to win that book.

The big drawing will take place in a week or so, and every single one of you who has entered will be entered THAT many times to win! What I will do is draw one name from each day's book and then from those 31 day's names, I will then choose one (or two -- yet to be decided how many grand prize winners to choose) -- maybe comment here and that will help me decide --

Would you all like two winners and have two of you to split all the books -- it will be around 40 books to win -- should we have TWO WINNERS TO WIN ALL THE BOOKS?

Comment here: TWO WINNERS or ONE WINNER and I'll base my decision on how many comment!

Thanks!

GOOD ENOUGH TO EAT by Stacey Ballis

Winner Announced!
Congrats to:

Siobhan!

You have won Good Enough To Eat!
Please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com with your full name and address and I'll get your book to you. Thanks everyone for sharing your favorite part of yourself with me. I can tell you are all beautiful people! This was such a fun post for me to do and for me to imagine what you guys might look like! Think positive about all of your good traits! : )

First of all, THIS IS NOT THE END! I have FOUR more books to offer you guys after today's book, and then we have some housekeeping stuff to figure out! So, don't think this is the last book! It's NOT! YAY!!!

Book: Good Enough To Eat

Author: Stacey Ballis

Website: http://www.staceyballis.com/index.php

I read Stacey’s first book, Inappropriate Men, way back when and probably contacted her online to tell her how much I loved it. Then, when her next book came out, Sleeping Over, she invited me to her book launch party. My first ever book launch party! She was so nice and kind to me, and I was smitten! (What a fun word!) Of course, I’ve been a fan ever since. She’s talented in many ways – with writing and in cooking, and she’s been on the Rachel Ray Show and on CBS countless times.

In the book we’re offering today, Stacey Ballis incorporates her talents in writing and cooking to bring you Good Enough to Eat.

As I’ve not had a chance to read it yet, here’s the review from Booklist:

Melanie Hoffman and her husband Andrew have been happily married for almost 10 years but when Melanie slims down to a trim size 6 after once tipping the scale at 290 pounds, her hubby leaves her for another chubby lady. Now divorced, the 39 year-old finds solace in her successful Chicago restaurant serving healthy gourmet fare. She has a small support group there consisting of her energetic, gay sous chef, Kai, a ballsy part-time cook, Delia, and her new roomie, a 24-year-old whimsical vagabond named Nadia. As Melanie slowly sweeps up the crumbs of fallen love, she finds Nathan and the handsome documentary filmmaker helps her overcome her body image issues. Ballis's (The Spinster Sisters) use of the enjoyment of cooking and eating as a continuous theme with featured recipes in the back is a nice addition, but the heart of her book lies within the jagged mind of Melanie and her daily struggle that most women, fat or thin, endure. Women will savor the brutal honesty of how Melanie sees her body, her battles with food, her failed marriage, and her fear of new love.

If you love to cook and to eat, (and who doesn’t LOVE to eat?!) you’ll especially love Good Enough to Eat because there are a ton of pages of recipes you’ll want to try out at the end of the book!

Since part of this book is about Melanie’s body image issues, I want you to tell me the physical part of you that YOU LOVE BEST. For me, I really like my long legs the best! Your turn!

*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win Good Enough To Eat! I’ll draw the winner in a couple of days and I will post the winner’s name at the TOP of this post, in the highlighted area.


Come back and read about each book every day in March. Choose the books you'd like to win. Enter for any or ALL the books. Each entry will count as an entry toward the grand prize of winning ALL 31+ books at the end of the month. You can win the book of the day and still qualify to win ALL the books at the end of the month!


PLEASE be specific with your name in the comment section, and IF YOUR NAME is listed as the winner, you must email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com in order to claim your prize. Email me with your full name and address so I can have your book(s) sent to you.


Thanks, and GOOD LUCK! And come back tomorrow to see what book I’ll be giving away then too!


It’s MaNiC MoMMy’s March Madness Book-A-Day Giveaway! Read ALL the Rules and Details Here!


Sorry, only U.S. and Canadian residents only!

THIS IS NOT THE STORY YOU THINK IT IS by Laura Munson

Winner Announced:

Congrats to Carie Casey!

Please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com with your full name and address and I'll get your book to you! And this was one of my most favorite comments from all of you! I loved your memoir titles! I have NO idea what I would call my memoir! You all have such clever ones! Thanks for sharing them with me! Loved them!

Book: This Is Not The Story You Think It Is: A Season of Unlikely Happiness

Author: Laura Munson

Website: lauramunsonauthor.com

Winner Announced Above

Today’s book is an incredibly special one, and so is the author. I had the awesome pleasure of meeting her a while back when she was in town to promote her New York Times bestseller, This Is Not The Story You Think It Is: A Season of Unlikely Happiness

Laura Munson first became famous for her emotionally-charged essay, Those Aren’t Fighting Words, Dear, which was published in The New York Times Modern Love section. The New York Times site crashed because of the overload of comments the essay brought in. You have to click over and read this essay after you’re done commenting here. It’s … I don’t even have the words to tell you how much of an impact it will have on you. It’s THAT powerful.

The essay is about Laura’s husband’s confusion in their marriage at that time and his desire to get out of it. When he told Laura he didn’t love her anymore, her reaction was, “I don’t buy it.”

What powerful words, and what strength Laura Munson had. She writes in her essay that some people might think she was a pushover or that she was weak. I say that she is one of the strongest women I know. To have that kind of power to withstand those words. To stand there in the face of an impending crisis, to look her husband in the eye and tell him that she wasn’t buying it, that she would give him “responsible distance” to figure out whatever was happening in his life, that is a brave woman. To her credit, Laura wasn’t going to give him years to make his mind up – she did put a time limit on how long she would put up with his behavior.

Laura was strong enough to know that what was going on in their marriage was not a “we” thing, but rather a “him” thing, and she was powerful enough to know that she wasn’t being rejected. It wasn’t because of anything she had done.

So she took her knowledge of what she learned and how she faced the crisis, and how she didn’t let it turn her life completely upside-down or ruin her family, and she wrote a book about it.

May we all be this strong when faced with any hardship that may come our way, whether it be in our marriages, with our children, our family, our jobs, our discontent with our personal self-satisfaction, our emotional desire to be something other than what we are. This Is Not The Story You Think It Is. This is a book for all women, and even all men. It’s for all people dealing with a personal crisis. It’s empowering, it’s powerful. It’s a self-strengthening book that everyone can take something away from.

Laura’s book may very well offer you the power you might need in the moment you may least expect it. Her words will strengthen your mind, your heart, and your soul.

So I do say this to you now, this book is NOT about a divorce – Laura and her husband did not divorce, they got THROUGH their crisis. This book is a book to help you through whatever it is that you’re going through in life right now, or maybe what you may be faced with down the road. It may not be the story you think it is, but it’s absolutely, positively one that you’ll want to read.

I love learning about each and every one of you, and I wish there were books for all of you to win! How about this for a question for this comment entry: tell me what the title of your memoir would be.

*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win Laura Munson's book! I’ll draw the winner in a couple of days and I will post the winner’s name at the TOP of this post, in the highlighted area.


Come back and read about each book every day in March. Choose the books you'd like to win. Enter for any or ALL the books. Each entry will count as an entry toward the grand prize of winning ALL 31+ books at the end of the month. You can win the book of the day and still qualify to win ALL the books at the end of the month!


PLEASE be specific with your name in the comment section, and IF YOUR NAME is listed as the winner, you must email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com in order to claim your prize. Email me with your full name and address so I can have your book(s) sent to you.


Thanks, and GOOD LUCK! And come back tomorrow to see what book I’ll be giving away then too!


It’s MaNiC MoMMy’s March Madness Book-A-Day Giveaway! Read ALL the Rules and Details Here!


Sorry, only U.S. and Canadian residents only!

LONDON, DIVORCE, HUSBAND by Laura Dave

Winner Announced!

Christina L...

who said dessert and wine was sexy is getting ALL THREE of Laura Dave's books and The First Husband isn't even OUT YET! Congratulations! And I loved EVERYONE's answers, and a ton of you said chocolate-covered strawberries were sexy! Guess what I made over spring break? Yup! Chocolate covered strawberries! Hardly sexy though cuz a bunch of kids ate them - actually, they ate the chocolate around the strawberries and left the soggy fruit. Stupid kids! Christina, please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com with your full name and address so you can receive all three of your books! But not to worry everyone, these three books are included in the grand prize giveaway coming up soon!

Books:
London is the Best City in America
The Divorce Party
The First Husband


Author: Laura Dave

Website: http://www.lauradave.com/page.php?category=05

Winner Announced Here

It’s a THREESOME!

Laura Dave is one of my absolute favorite authors and to think I almost missed out on her. Seriously. I almost didn’t read her first book because of the title, London is the Best City in America. I mean, it didn’t make sense to me. And truthfully, I was at some reading stage in my life where I thought it was a book about London and I didn’t really feel like reading a book about London.

Oh, silly silly me.

Thank GOD for my bestest bestest friend Swishy for telling me I HAD TO READ IT. Because I did and OH MY GOSH! Awesomeness. Laura Dave’s writing is AMAZING. You fall in love with her writing style and then also with her characters. And yes, I mean absolute love, with her male characters immediately, and she kind of makes you fall in love with a couple of them at one time so you don’t know who to love more, which makes reading the books all that more exciting. Like, hmmm, should she be with him, or that other hottie? And it just makes for fascinating books!

And yes, I said BOOKS because Laura is so generous and kind she is giving away ALL THREE of her books, and here’s the other thing, her third is NOT EVEN OUT YET!

Is this not the best ever!?

So, Laura’s first book is London is the Best City in America which I read a long time ago, but still, to this day, consider it a fave of mine!

Her second is The Divorce Party, in which I think about every single time I encounter red velvet cake, whether it be cake, cupcakes, frosting, ice cream, frozen yogurt (there is such a thing!), anything with that flavor, I think, “Laura Dave, The Divorce Party, Awesome book!”, and most of the time, I will then FB her and say, “I had red velvet cake this weekend and thought of you and The Divorce Party.” I wonder if she gets sick of hearing that from people or if I’m the only psycho who does that? Now you definitely HAVE to read the book to know where I’m coming from.

Her third book is The First Husband, and is the most recent one I read, and I LOVE IT! The food that comes to mind from that book is eggs and lobster, which I would probably never eat together, but Laura makes it sound divine in the book. Sooo good, and so sexy! But let me say, maybe I’m hungry right now? Since The First Husband is the newest, NOT EVEN OUT UNTIL MAY book, let me give you my review:

Laura Dave has done it again with her third novel, The First Husband. Readers will fall in love with travel writer, Annie Adams, who is unceremoniously dumped by her boyfriend Nick of five years and now doesn’t quite know where to call home.

Her rebound guy quickly becomes the real deal, and Annie’s First Husband. Griffin is caring, selfless, compassionate, and only wants practically everything good for Annie. She follows him to rural Massachusetts to open his restaurant where she is thrown into a world she is completely unfamiliar with. Griffin’s brother Jesse, his ex-girlfriend Gia, and his overbearing mother all play intricate parts in making Annie wonder if her very real love for Griffin is enough to make her marriage work.

When Nick comes back into Annie’s life, realizing he has always loved Annie, and a new job offer surfaces, she’s even more confused. How can Annie figure out where home is for her, and what will she do to find the comfort she so desperately needs?

Laura’s writing is so genuine and rich; her characters are real and sweet. The men – I’ve always loved the men in her stories! And what I love about The First Husband is that I found myself wondering all through the book, “Who is Annie going to end up with?” And I think whoever she chose, I would have been happy with her decision, because first and foremost, I knew that whatever Annie was going to do, she was going to take care of her own happiness before choosing to be with the absolute perfect man for her.

With all this food talk, tell me a food that you think is sexy and I'll enter you in the book giveaway? I dig crab legs and warm butter! YUM! Ooh, and put me on a beach while eating them. Even better! With a bottle of chardonnay ….


*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win Laura's books! I’ll draw the winner in a couple of days and I will post the winner’s name at the TOP of this post, in the highlighted area.


Come back and read about each book every day in March. Choose the books you'd like to win. Enter for any or ALL the books. Each entry will count as an entry toward the grand prize of winning ALL 31+ books at the end of the month. You can win the book of the day and still qualify to win ALL the books at the end of the month!


PLEASE be specific with your name in the comment section, and IF YOUR NAME is listed as the winner, you must email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com in order to claim your prize. Email me with your full name and address so I can have your book(s) sent to you.


Thanks, and GOOD LUCK! And come back tomorrow to see what book I’ll be giving away then too!


It’s MaNiC MoMMy’s March Madness Book-A-Day Giveaway! Read ALL the Rules and Details Here!


Sorry, only U.S. and Canadian residents only!

ATTACHMENTS by Rainbow Rowell

Winner Announced!
DaphneSFL!
Congratulations, and Daphne, you better love this book because I DID!! Soooo much! Please email me your full name and address and we'll get your book out to you. I LOOOOOVE this book and Rainbow is a kick-butt author! I'm so happy to have found her! And now you get to have her book too! My email is stephanieelliot@gmail.com! 



Today's Book: Attachments

by Rainbow Rowell!

Please note, yesterday's book got posted late so please make sure to enter to win Stay by Allie Larkin as well too! Also, I promise to pick winners for the previous books Monday or Tuesday--we have company and were at the Grand Canyon!

Book: Attachments

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Website: http://www.rainbowrowell.com/

I absolutely positively LOVE this book. Attachments is NOT even out yet. It comes out on my birthday, April 14! You know who else loves it? Jodi Piccoult loves it. She wrote a blurb about it. So did Haven Kimmel and Claire Cook. So you KNOW it’s going to be a SMASH HIT novel!

I want to write the best review here for you to fall in love with this book as much as I did but I am afraid I won’t do it justice. The story is set in 1999 when email is just coming onto the scene. Two of the main characters, Beth and Jennifer, both who work at a newspaper, correspond with one another through email. The guy whose job it is to monitor email at the company, Lincoln, falls in love with Beth through her emails, never having seen her because he works nights.

The book’s main character is Lincoln, and it is told from his perspective, and he is sweet and darling and you’ll fall in love with him too and you’ll root for him through the whole way as he has to face many obstacles. He really doesn’t like his job as an email monitor (guilt factor), he lives with his mom although he’s in his late 20s and needs to find a place of his own, and he’s in love with Beth, who currently is in a relationship (with a very hot band member, btw, making for some interesting turmoil!).

Jennifer, in the story, has her own troubles, trying to decide if she wants to get pregnant or not, and then dealing with some drama in her own life as well. The ‘dialogue’ between Beth and Jennifer is told throughout the story in only emails, which adds to the coolness of the book. It’s truly an amazing read, and definitely one for those of you who love John Hughes movies, the MTV era, and growing up when the internet phase was just starting out. It’s also a great read for anyone who has ever had a secret crush but didn’t know how to ‘fess up and went around feeling lost and forlorn over the fact that you’d wonder if he’d ever notice you. Really though, Attachments is a wonderful love story that you’ll read and shut, and then want to open up to the beginning and start right over again.

And of course, Rainbow (yes, her real and really cool name!) had me at page two with the mention of ZIMA, which happened to be my favorite malt beverage choice in the late ‘90s!

To win Attachments, tell me about an interesting email correspondence, or if you've ever gotten in trouble for writing an email. If you don’t have one, that’s OK!

*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win Attachments! I’ll draw the winner in a couple of days and I will post the winner’s name at the TOP of this post, in the highlighted area.


Come back and read about each book every day in March. Choose the books you'd like to win. Enter for any or ALL the books. Each entry will count as an entry toward the grand prize of winning ALL 31+ books at the end of the month. You can win the book of the day and still qualify to win ALL the books at the end of the month!


PLEASE be specific with your name in the comment section, and IF YOUR NAME is listed as the winner, you must email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com in order to claim your prize. Email me with your full name and address so I can have your book(s) sent to you.


Thanks, and GOOD LUCK! And come back tomorrow to see what book I’ll be giving away then too!


It’s MaNiC MoMMy’s March Madness Book-A-Day Giveaway! Read ALL the Rules and Details Here!


Sorry, only U.S. and Canadian residents only!

THE OPPOSITE OF ME & SKIPPING A BEAT by Sarah Pekkanen

Winner Announced!
Congrats to

Lauren Royall...

Lauren says her favorite dessert is German Chocolate Cake and the "opposite of me" is her husband! You have won both of Sarah Pekkanen's books! Please email me your full name and mailing address and you'll receive your books! Congrats! stephanieelliot@gmail.com

Books: The Opposite of Me and Skipping A Beat

Author: Sarah Pekkanen

Website: http://www.sarahpekkanen.com/

Winner Announced Here

Sarah Pekkanen may be one of the relatively newer voices on the scene but she’s also one of the hottest. Her first book, The Opposite of Me, was so well-received, it caught the attention of author Jennifer Weiner. Word of mouth and a little contest to help spread the author love, and The Opposite of Me was noted in People, Redbook, USAToday. Sarah was all over the place, and after reading The Opposite of Me, it was no wonder. I fell in love with Sarah’s writing. Truly stories I wanted to tear through, but didn’t want to see end.

Since I read The Opposite of Me so long ago and didn’t write a review then, I'm just going to give you the back-of-the-book blurb:

Twenty-nine year old Lindsey Rose has, for as long as she can remember, lived in the shadow of her devastatingly beautiful fraternal twin sister, Alex. Determined to get noticed, Lindsey is finally on the cusp of being named Creative Vice President of an elite New York advertising agency, after years of 80 plus-hour weeks, migraines, and profound loneliness. But during the course of one devastating night, Lindsey’s carefully-constructed life implodes.

Humiliated and desperate, she flees the glitter of Manhattan and retreats to the time warp of her parents’ Maryland home. As her sister plans her lavish wedding to her prince charming, Lindsey struggles to maintain her identity as the smart, responsible twin, while she furtively tries to put her career back together. But things get more complicated when a long-held family secret is unleashed that forces both sisters to reconsider who they are and who they are meant to be.

And here’s my personal review for Skipping A Beat:

Usually when you love an author's first book, you don't expect to be blown away by her second book, but with Sarah Pekkanen's Skipping a Beat, that's exactly what I was. Blown away. From the very first page I was swept up into Michael and Julia's story of how they were less than privileged high school sweethearts turned millionaires by his DrinkUp flavored water. Yet, because of her father's gambling habit, Julia requested a pre-nup before she and Michael were married so that she could be responsible for her own money and have a secure life unlike her own mother who lost everything because of her father's gambling habit.

How was she to know that her own husband would become a man worth millions, 70, to be exact, and then unexpectedly die, for four minutes and eight seconds, but then come back to life and find money meaningless? And want to give it all away? Michael does exactly this, but in doing so, wants to prove his love to Julia at the same time.

How can she trust that he's not throwing away their lives, when the past few years all he's been focused on was building his empire, and now he wants to trash it all and finally work on their marriage? Fortunately, Julia's got a thriving party planning business of her own, but will it be enough if she decides she cannot stay with Michael now that he's going to give it all away? And will she want to stay with Michael after the years he's been absent in her life? He's asking her for the next three weeks to prove his love to her. Can she give it to him? And what will she discover in those three weeks?

Skipping a Beat had me on the edge of my seat, and my own heart was skipping beats as I plowed through this book, anxious and excited to find out what would happen at the end. A couple of things I predicted would happen, but they were good things, and made for a happy ending despite some surprises that did have me tearing up while reading as well! Loved, loved, loved this book and it catapulted Sarah Pekkanen to my top five list of favorite authors, right alongside Emily Giffin!


Read the first chapter of Skipping a Beat HERE.

Here’s the amazing Book Trailer.

Skipping a Beat, is an O Magazine Pick-It-Up-Now book for April, among being listed in other places. Sarah’s hit it big time!

To enter to win these books, tell me the answer to these two questions:

In Skipping a Beat, the main character is a party planner and there’s a lot of talk about yummy desserts. In fact, the book opens with decadent cupcakes. What is your favorite dessert?

And, tell me what you think the opposite of you might be?


*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win Sarah's books! I’ll draw the winner in a couple of days and I will post the winner’s name at the TOP of this post, in the highlighted area.


Come back and read about each book every day in March. Choose the books you'd like to win. Enter for any or ALL the books. Each entry will count as an entry toward the grand prize of winning ALL 31+ books at the end of the month. You can win the book of the day and still qualify to win ALL the books at the end of the month!


PLEASE be specific with your name in the comment section, and IF YOUR NAME is listed as the winner, you must email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com in order to claim your prize. Email me with your full name and address so I can have your book(s) sent to you.


Thanks, and GOOD LUCK! And come back tomorrow to see what book I’ll be giving away then too!


It’s MaNiC MoMMy’s March Madness Book-A-Day Giveaway! Read ALL the Rules and Details Here!


Sorry, only U.S. and Canadian residents only!

SHELTER ME & DEEP DOWN TRUE by Juliette Fay

Winner Announced!
Congratulations to:

StephRochelle!

You have won both of Juliette Fay's books! Please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com with your full name and address so I can get your books to you! Thanks for entering every single day. It has paid off! And don't worry everyone -- there's still a chance to win the BIG PRIZE!

Books: Shelter Me and Deep Down True

Author: Juliette Fay

Website: juliettefay.com

We’ve got a Double-Whammy for you today, and these are two amazing books that you’re all going to LOVE! Juliette Fay is a terrific author who writes from the heart in a style that has you at the very first word. You’ll adore her!

Shelter Me, Juliette Fay’s debut novel, touches upon a very delicate subject matter. The book opens four months after Janie LaMarche loses her husband and she’s still in the grieving process, trying to make sense of her new life as a widowed mother of two very young children.

I love Fay’s characters, from the teeniest Baby Carly (who delights and keeps things in perspective), to meddling Aunt Jude, and each and every one brilliantly serves his or her purpose in the book. I fell instantly in love with Janie’s 4-year-old son Dylan, and cried for him as he waded through his own feelings of grief trying to understand his father was no longer with him.

Shelter Me is a beautiful family love story with little stories entwined, and as I read, I found that many times I couldn’t even begin to guess what would happen next. As Janie slowly pulls through her grief with the help of a very unlikely cast – a contractor hired by her dead husband to build her a porch, a priest who seems more manly than priestly, a baker cousin, an outlandish neighbor – we see that it takes all types to create a tapestry of love, and this book is truly that – a beautifully woven novel that will have you angry, sad, excited and hopeful for Janie, the true hero of this book.

Here’s the back-of-the-book blurb:

Four months after her husband's death, Janie LaMarche remains undone by grief and anger. Her mourning is disrupted, however, by the unexpected arrival of a builder with a contract to add a porch onto her house. Stunned, Janie realizes the porch was meant to be a surprise from her husband—now his last gift to her.

As she reluctantly allows construction to begin, Janie clings to the familiar outposts of her sorrow—mothering her two small children with fierce protectiveness, avoiding friends and family, and stewing in a rage she can't release. Yet Janie's self-imposed isolation is breached by a cast of unlikely interventionists: her chattering, ipecac-toting aunt; her bossy, over-manicured neighbor; her muffin-bearing cousin; and even Tug, the contractor with a private grief all his own.

As the porch takes shape, Janie discovers that the unknowable terrain of the future is best navigated with the help of others—even those we least expect to call on, much less learn to love.
Read Shelter Me Chapter One HERE

Juliette’s second novel, which I haven’t gotten to yet, but am dying to find the time, is called Deep Down True. Read the FIRST CHAPTER HERE and you will be hooked. Trust Me!

Dana Stellgarten is the protagonist of Deep Down True. She’s newly divorced, running low on funds, and has her hands full as her happy-go-lucky son suddenly develops anger management problems, and her daughter struggles to keep her head above the shark-infested waters of middle school. Things seem to be looking up as Dana finds work, begins dating and is befriended by the popular mother of her daughter’s new BFF. But she soon learns that the tension between being true to herself and being liked doesn’t end in middle school.

So, let’s see, since her newest is called Deep Down True, tell me something you know is TRUE!
And good luck to you all!


*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win Juliette Fay's books! I’ll draw the winner in a couple of days and I will post the winner’s name at the TOP of this post, in the highlighted area.


Come back and read about each book every day in March. Choose the books you'd like to win. Enter for any or ALL the books. Each entry will count as an entry toward the grand prize of winning ALL 31+ books at the end of the month. You can win the book of the day and still qualify to win ALL the books at the end of the month!


PLEASE be specific with your name in the comment section, and IF YOUR NAME is listed as the winner, you must email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com in order to claim your prize. Email me with your full name and address so I can have your book(s) sent to you.


Thanks, and GOOD LUCK! And come back tomorrow to see what book I’ll be giving away then too!


It’s MaNiC MoMMy’s March Madness Book-A-Day Giveaway! Read ALL the Rules and Details Here!


Sorry, only U.S. and Canadian residents only!

ANNIE BEGINS by Michelle Toth

Winner Announced!

Random.org has chosen

Melinda S.

who commented:

I met my husband at a Hot Buns/Hot Legs contest at a popular local bar...neither of us were contestants!

Congrats! You have won Annie Begins! Please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com with your full name and mailing address!

Book: Annie Begins

Author: Michelle Toth

Website: http://www.anniebegins.com/

Winner: Melinda S.
You guys are going to love this debut book by Michelle Toth. Annie Begins tells the story of 29 year old Annie Thompson, who is brilliant in business, yet disastrous in relationships. It’s the dawn of the dot-com boom, and Annie is determined to make it big. But her single-minded focus on work is put to the test when the man of her dreams announces that his wife is divorcing him, and designates Annie “the best listener he knows.” Suddenly she’s juggling his mixed signals and her entrepreneurial ambitions—not to mention a complicated friendship with her new supervixen of a roommate.

Annie's pursuit of Mr. Tall, Dark and Barely Available takes a turn for the unexpected when her young, terminally ill cousin, April, makes it her mission to find Annie a husband. But the fiancé April picks is definitely not the kind of man Annie would have chosen. Now, Annie has to ask herself what exactly she wants and values most deeply in a man—and in herself.

So, to win Annie Begins, let’s make this really fun – since the character April in the book tries to find Annie a husband, tell me how you found your current or previous BF, partner or husband? Blind date, match.com, were you set up by your best friend, did you meet him in a bar like I met Mr. MaNiC? … Doesn’t have to be long-winded – Short and Sweet tells it best!

Thanks for being so wonderful with all of these answers. I can’t tell you how much I’m enjoying waking up and reading all of these every day! Hope you’re having fun too!

Michelle’s Bio: Michelle Toth divides her time between New York City and Boston, where she serves on the board of directors of the non-profit Grub Street Writers. A graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and Harvard Business School, Michelle works as the director of talent development for an investment management firm.

*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win Annie Begins! I’ll draw the winner in a couple of days and I will post the winner’s name at the TOP of this post, in the highlighted area.


Come back and read about each book every day in March. Choose the books you'd like to win. Enter for any or ALL the books. Each entry will count as an entry toward the grand prize of winning ALL 31+ books at the end of the month. You can win the book of the day and still qualify to win ALL the books at the end of the month!


PLEASE be specific with your name in the comment section, and IF YOUR NAME is listed as the winner, you must email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com in order to claim your prize. Email me with your full name and address so I can have your book(s) sent to you.


Thanks, and GOOD LUCK! And come back tomorrow to see what book I’ll be giving away then too!


It’s MaNiC MoMMy’s March Madness Book-A-Day Giveaway! Read ALL the Rules and Details Here!

Sorry, only U.S. and Canadian residents only!

YOU'LL LOSE THE BABY WEIGHT by Dawn Meehan

Winner Announced!

Wendi from Louisiana ...

who commented, "I am not a child bearing woman but would love to be a part of it vicariously!"

You have won Dawn Meehan's book. Please send me your full name and mailing address at stephanieelliot@gmail.com. Maybe you can send this to a friend who is expecting or just laugh at Dawn's pregnancy antics -- she is a hilarious writer! Thanks for entering everyone! More books to come!

Book: You'll Lose the Baby Weight (and other Lies about Pregnancy & Childbirth)

Author: Dawn Meehan

Website: Because I Said So

Today’s book might only relate to some of you but it’s by a hilarious author mom friend of mine, Dawn Meehan, who is mom to six kids and an amazing woman, talented author and hilarious blogger! I could go on and on about Dawn, really! She blogs at Because I Said So, and it’s a real bummer that I moved from the Chicago area because she was a great friend there. She’s also a terrific BlogHer roommate who likes to nap just as much as I do! Miss you Dawn!

The book she’s offering up today is You’ll Lose the Baby Weight (and other Lies about pregnancy and childbirth), and with six kids, she knows ALL about it.

Laugh-out-loud chapters in You’ll Lose the Baby Weight include:

–Am I Pregnant or Is Aunt Flo Knocking?
–The “Do You Weigh More Than an Elephant?” Test
–Tinkle Tinkle Little Star
–The Dolly Parton Syndrome
–I Just Have a Taste for a Cheeseburger Topped with Caramel Sauce and CalamariWhether you’ve already had your babies, you’re pregnant, you’re thinking about getting pregnant, or you’ve been INSIDE somebody’s womb (haha!) Dawn Meehan’s You’ll Lose the Baby Weight (and OTHER LIES about pregnancy and childbirth) is a laugh-out-loud book.

Dawn’s book makes it easy to laugh through all of the rough times of pregnancy but still makes sure you remember the joyful parts of it too – that the end result is a bouncing beautiful baby that’s yours for the making! And if you’re NOWHERE near the baby-making phase, this is a fun book to give as a gift too!

You can leave a PICK ME comment, or a pregnancy-related comment – your call!

*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win You'll Lose the Baby Weight! I’ll draw the winner in a couple of days and I will post the winner’s name at the TOP of this post, in the highlighted area.


Come back and read about each book every day in March. Choose the books you'd like to win. Enter for any or ALL the books. Each entry will count as an entry toward the grand prize of winning ALL 31+ books at the end of the month. You can win the book of the day and still qualify to win ALL the books at the end of the month!


PLEASE be specific with your name in the comment section, and IF YOUR NAME is listed as the winner, you must email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com in order to claim your prize. Email me with your full name and address so I can have your book(s) sent to you.


Thanks, and GOOD LUCK! And come back tomorrow to see what book I’ll be giving away then too!


It’s MaNiC MoMMy’s March Madness Book-A-Day Giveaway! Read ALL the Rules and Details Here!

Sorry, only U.S. and Canadian residents only!

HALFWAY TO EACH OTHER by Susan Pohlman

Winner Announced!
Congrats to:

Homestead Jen!

You may not be going to Scotland as you wrote in the comments, but I will be sending you a signed copy of HALFWAY TO EACH OTHER by Susan Pohlman because you have won! Please email me your full name and address at stephanieelliot@gmail.com. Thanks everyone for entering and for taking the time to give such thoughtful answers to my questions! More books to come, and a little secret -- there are going to be a few more books that will run us into part of April! Can you dig it? Thanks for all of your enthusiasm or else I wouldn't be able to handle this! I'm not getting paid to do this! It's just my love for books and for these authors!

FUN FUN FUN!

Book: Halfway to Each Other

Author: Susan Pohlman

Website: http://www.susanpohlman.com/content/index.php

Winner: Homestead Jen


“The true story of a California couple on the brink of divorce who unexpectedly finds love again on the Italian Riviera.”

I had heard about Susan’s memoir when it first came out and her publisher sent me a copy of her book. Then our family went through our relocation to Scottsdale and with all of that, I had forgotten about Halfway to Each Other (and many other wonderful books I had meant to review!).

Weird thing happened. I practically wound up as Susan’s neighbor! We met at another author’s reading (you’ll get to meet Laura Munson later in the month), and Susan and I got together for coffee last month.

Halfway to Each Other is Susan’s amazing story of how she and her husband of 18 years were just about to call it quits but chose a different path. Susan was accomanying her husband on a business trip in Italy and upon their return, they were all set to divorce. Something on the last day on their trip clicked for the two of them and instead of going home and filing for divorce, they gathered up their two children, and spent a year in Italy rediscovering what it was that brought them together in the first place.

Susan’s background is in screenplay writing and her book is like reading little snippets of scenes – beautifully told with fantastic imagery, this memoir is inspirational and a great read for anyone, no matter what your current life situation is like. It may give you the motivation to make the changes you’ve always wanted to make but have been afraid to do. Susan has admitted she’s not afraid of taking chances any longer because of her stay in Italy. I would love to be that brave and strong!

So tell me, if you could live anywhere for one year, where would you choose to live? Just tell me the one place, no explanation needed, and I’ll enter you to win Susan’s awesome book!

*****
Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win Halfway to Each Other! I’ll draw the winner in a couple of days and I will post the winner’s name at the TOP of this post, in the highlighted area.

Come back and read about each book every day in March. Choose the books you'd like to win. Enter for any or ALL the books. Each entry will count as an entry toward the grand prize of winning ALL 31+ books at the end of the month. You can win the book of the day and still qualify to win ALL the books at the end of the month!

PLEASE be specific with your name in the comment section, and IF YOUR NAME is listed as the winner, you must email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com in order to claim your prize. Email me with your full name and address so I can have your book(s) sent to you.

Thanks, and GOOD LUCK! And come back tomorrow to see what book I’ll be giving away then too!

It’s MaNiC MoMMy’s March Madness Book-A-Day Giveaway! Read ALL the Rules and Details Here!

Sorry, only U.S. and Canadian residents only!

JESSICA Z. & TWO YEARS, NO RAIN by Shawn Klomparens

Winner Announced!

All these answers to my two-fer question was so much fun - there were some creative ones and likewise, some gross ones -- chocolate milk and PICKLES? Ewww! But I liked them all so very much! However, there can only be one winner, and Random.org chose one of you!
Congratulations to Becki***!

If you email me your full name and address you'll be receiving both copies of Shawn's books. The only problem, you won't know which one to read first! Congrats, and don't worry everyone, we still have a lot more books coming your way!

Author: Shawn Klomparens

Two Years, No Rain

Jessica Z.

Winner Announced Here: Becki***

Well lookie here folks, it’s ANOTHER TWO-FER! BUT YOU HAVE TO READ THIS!! (some of you didn’t read the last post all the way through … Naughty-Naughty. : ) Since you’re tired of telling me: PICK ME, PICK ME, and since this is a TWO-FER giveaway, in the comment section, just tell me TWO THINGS you like together: like pizza and French fries, or movies and popcorn. It can be anything: vanilla and chocolate, whatever. I don’t care. I like to read something other than PICK ME PICK ME! Thanks!

Today’s author is Shawn Klomparens and both of his books are being offered here! And the only MaNiC-author related story I have to share here is that I don’t know him (kinda wish I did – he is very good looking from his author photo), but I have been in Jackson, Wyoming, and that’s where he lives. So. There’s that.

THE BOOKS!
I’m in the middle of reading his debut, Jessica Z, and let me tell you, it’s intriguing, fast-paced, and one that I can’t wait to find the moments to slip away so that I can get back into the world of Jessica. Already I find that my heart is racing as I dive into the pages.

The story is told post 9-11 in a world where danger lurks and suicide bombers are prevalent, and Jessica is trying to cope the best she can in a world she tries to make safe for herself by working a mundane job and dating her neighbor upstairs (where certain rules apply). When she meets an intriguing man who’s going to take her out of her safety net … well, that’s where I am now. So it’s a very exciting book and let me tell you, I’m in for the ride!

Shawn’s other book is Two Years No Rain, and I can’t wait to get to this one either (so many books, so little time!). Here’s the blurb:

In San Diego County, it hasn't rained in 580 days. But for weatherman Andy Dunne, everything else is changing fast...Only a few weeks ago, he was a newly divorced, slightly overweight meteorologist for an obscure satellite radio station, hiding his secret love for a colleague, the beautiful--and very much married--Hillary Hsing. But nearly overnight, Andy has landed a new gig, flying a magic carpet in a bizarre live-action children's TV show. So what is affable, basically decent Andy Dunne going to do now that he can do practically anything he wants? With a parade of hot moms begging for his autograph and a family that needs his help more than ever, Andy has a lot of choices. First, though, there's this thing with Hillary, their heated text messages, a long-awaited forecast for rain - and a few other surprises he never saw coming…

Catherine McKenzie of The Author Effect introduced me to these great books, and I’m not making this mandatory, but if you’d be so kind to head over there, I promise you there will be LOTS more chances for you to find out about even MORE fabulous books – she is ALWAYS sharing great new authors and books with fans AND GIVING THEM AWAY. I feel so fortunate to have found her and found out about her books.

(SIDENOTE, the winner of her books has not come forward, and I have not seen her back here to enter again, so there still may be a chance to win SPIN and ARRANGED at a later date during this giveaway and HER BOOKS ROCK!)

*****

Please leave a comment, and all those who do will qualify to win both of Shawn's books! I’ll draw the winner in a couple of days and I will post the winner’s name at the TOP of this post, in the highlighted area.

Come back and read about each book every day in March. Choose the books you'd like to win. Enter for any or ALL the books. Each entry will count as an entry toward the grand prize of winning ALL 31+ books at the end of the month. You can win the book of the day and still qualify to win ALL the books at the end of the month!

PLEASE be specific with your name in the comment section, and IF YOUR NAME is listed as the winner, you must email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com in order to claim your prize. Email me with your full name and address so I can have your book(s) sent to you.

Thanks, and GOOD LUCK! And come back tomorrow to see what book I’ll be giving away then too!

It’s MaNiC MoMMy’s March Madness Book-A-Day Giveaway! Read ALL the Rules and Details Here!

Sorry, only U.S. and Canadian residents only!

HE LOVES ME, HE LOVES ME NOT & A MAZE OF GRACE by Trish Ryan

First, let me say I had SOOOO much fun reading your FIRST or MEMORABLE kiss stories! Oh my gosh, some of them made me crack up! I loved in particular the one from the girl who ended up locking lips with the boyfriend's older brother on the basketball court to make the younger brother jealous! And also the one from the first kiss on the wedding day! There were sooo many awesome ones. Thanks for taking the time to share them with me. I hope they brought back some fun memories for you guys as well!

Random.org chose the winner so congrats to:

KELTBAN!

Email me your full name and address so you can receive both books by Trish Ryan! And there are so many more great books coming your way-- As I write this, it's only March 14! So keep coming back! Thanks everyone!

Books: He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not & A Maze of Grace

Author: Trish Ryan

Website: Trish Ryan Online

Winner: KELTBAN
Hello Again! And here we have ANOTHER TWO-FER! And this is gonna be a long one, and I’m going to make you work for it today. There are SPECIAL instructions! I know you’re tired of just putting in the comments, “Pick me! Pick me!” so you get to tell me something fun today. Pay attention!

Today’s author happens to be another good friend of mine in real life. Do you get that I stalk them until they have no other choice but to like me? I met Trish Ryan at a Chicago author fair when Swishy and I went to see Stephanie Klein, Jen Lancaster and Stacey Ballis on a panel together. That was also the same day we drove four hours through six hurricanes and two tornadoes to go to Jess Riley’s book party and then another four hours back home. Here’s THAT blog post (there are actually two parts!) if you have more time than Lindsay Lohan and Charlie Sheen will need to get their heads on straight.

The books. Oh yeah.

So Trish is a memoirist. Sounds classy huh? I love that! The first book she wrote is He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not: A Memoir of Finding Faith, Hope, and Happily Ever After. The original hardback cover looked like this:

Trish Ryan was the quintessential successful thirtysomething woman -- she had a career as an attorney, a nice car, and a succession of men clamoring for her affection. But despite all her accomplishments, the things by which she defined her life continually left her disappointed, especially when it came to dating. Like the heroines of chick-lit novels and Sex and the City, she couldn't escape her bad luck with men: men who cheated, who left her, who made her a lesser version of herself. After years of trying everything out there to make love work -- new age philosophy, feminist empowerment, myriad self-help programs -- she finally, hesitantly, decided to give God a try. This is Ryan's story of how her search for the right guy turned into the search for the right God, and (spoiler alert!) how she ended up with the happily-ever-after ending.

When I first offered the book on my blog, I told the stories of my first kisses, because, like Trish’s story, you gotta kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince. I just so happen to have the diary entry from my very first meaningful kiss, I was 13:

My first kiss, a diary entry:
December 29, 1982

Hey,
Chris and Andy came over at 8:30 pm. We hung around talked and stuff. Stacy and Leslie kept whispering to Chris and trying to get us alone. We walked outside with Chris and Andrew at midnight – “The magical hour" ha ha, and said Goodbye. Then Stacy and Les went towards the house but snuck behind the cars. Me and Chris told them to go in the house. Then he turned towards me and put his hands on my hips. He told me that Stacy and Leslie told him to kiss me. Then he turned his head and came closer and we were almost kissing and I burst out laughing. We finally kissed then Stacy and Leslie came out and started spying. So Chris said, “You want to make them mad?” We walked over to the hedge and he kissed me. I really can’t remember that much. But then he asked if I would write. I said of course, “Yes.” Then I kissed him and said “good-bye.” We kissed at least 3 times. I’m kinda glad Stacy and Leslie told him to kiss me. His lips were soft. Ha, ha. Love, Steph

December 30, 1982

Chris left.
Bye.

Then I met Mr. Manic junior year in college. (Not to worry, I had more kisses between 1982 and 1990, I assure you!) Our first kiss happened the night we met, among other things. We met in a bar called Molly’s. Later that night, we went to another bar.

We first kissed in a bar called Amnesia, but I forget the details. Get it, Amnesia, can’t remember the details. Ha. But isn’t that what happens when you fall in love? There are so many great moments, but the details are hard to recall. When you’re in love, there are great details that just keep coming and they outshine the next so the previous ones start to fade. I do remember though, I was dying for him to kiss me, and I was so glad when he finally did, right there at the entryway of the bar, and again, on the dance floor at Amnesia. And now that I have him available to me any time I want, I should remember this, and kiss him as often as I want. That’s what it means to me to finding the one. He Loves Me, He Loves Me … He Loves Me!

So, in order to win He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not, you have to comment here AND tell me your first OR your first MEMORABLE kiss story. And that will enter you to win BOTH Trish’s books! If you don't tell me a story, you won't be entered this time. Make something up! I'm getting tough on ya! : )

And here’s info on her follow up book:

A Maze of Grace: A Memoir of Second Chances is the story of Trish and her husband Steve’s first five years of marriage… it’s inspirational and thought-provoking, and many times I stopped during my reading and really thought about what she has to say about her relationship with her husband, and with God. I am especially giving serious thought about the part in the book where a female pastor proclaims: GIVE THAT MAN SOME SEX. Seriously, read it, and you will KNOW what I’m talking about. It is SOOOO true, but how do you GIVE THAT MAN SOME SEX when the last two times you’ve tried to GIVE THAT MAN SOME SEX these kind of things have happened? Anyway, Trish has a way of writing down her story to make you think about how YOUR own story is forming, and I think that’s a talent not many possess.

OK, A Maze of Grace is NOT all about sex (Drat, I know, I know) but when I read it, we had just moved into our new home in Scottsdale, and things were quite challenging and I guess all I was focusing on was that part when I wrote this previous review. Trish is an extremely talented author, who is spiritual but NEVER in your face spiritual. Read her books and you’ll feel as if you’re walking away with a friend!

DON'T FORGET .... I WANT YOUR GOOD FIRST KISS OR MEMORABLE KISS STORY OR THIS TIME YOU WON'T QUALIFY TO BE ENTERED!
*****
Please leave a FIRST KISS COMMENT, and all those who do will qualify to win both Trish Ryan's books! I’ll draw the winner on March 11 and I will post the winner’s name at the TOP of this post, in the highlighted area.

Come back and read about each book every day in March. Choose the books you'd like to win. Enter for any or ALL the books. Each entry will count as an entry toward the grand prize of winning ALL 31+ books at the end of the month. You can win the book of the day and still qualify to win ALL the books at the end of the month!

PLEASE be specific with your name in the comment section, and IF YOUR NAME is listed as the winner, you must email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com in order to claim your prize. Email me with your full name and address so I can have your book(s) sent to you.

Thanks, and GOOD LUCK! And come back tomorrow to see what book I’ll be giving away then too!

It’s MaNiC MoMMy’s March Madness Book-A-Day Giveaway! Read ALL the Rules and Details Here!

Sorry, only U.S. and Canadian residents only!